Mission

The Sports Medicine program was established in 1991, with faculty from throughout Auburn University's College of Veterinary Medicine involved in studying injuries, diseases, nutritional factors and physiologic functions of dogs and horses involved in field sports and working endeavors.

Veterinarians and scientists at Auburn University's Sports Medicine Program have formed a team to address health and performance of canine and equine athletes. Their work addresses conditions affecting a variety of sporting animals. The overall goals of the program relate to optimizing performance, minimizing the risk of injury or metabolic damage, and defining the best treatment and therapy protocols as they correlate to the special needs of these performance animals. We want to improve the health, well-being and functional longevity of the athletic and working animal and disseminate information on clinical and research findings to those involved with dogs and horses.

Thanks to a financial gift from Mrs. Dorothy Metcalf, the program was able to hire a full-time director, a research associate, a veterinary technician, student workers and other support staff. Thanks to Mrs. Metcalf's contributions the program has been able to grow and conduct vital research, educate veterinary students, educate an international audience, and provide specialized clinical services.